Gum disease or periodontal disease can lead to a number of health issues. It is linked to bad breath, tooth loss, and even more serious problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.
Traditionally, gum disease was treated with scaling and root planing, which removed plaque and tartar from the roots of teeth. Because this disease lurks beneath the gums and cannot be visualized, this traditional method had its limitations which often required gum surgery. Today, however, a revolutionary technology called Perioscopy allows Dr. Alger to treat gum disease more effectively than traditional non-surgical treatment. Perioscopy gets patients healthy and reduces the likelihood that surgical treatment will be necessary for many patients.
What is Perioscopy? How Does it Work?
Perioscopy is a nonsurgical approach to treat gum disease. This process uses an endoscope, which is a miniature camera and fiber optic light source, which can be placed below the gum line. This allows Dr. Alger and his hygienist the ability to view plaque bacteria, tartar, decay or fractures that exist beneath the gums in minute detail on a video screen. This cutting-edge dental tool provides up to 48 times magnification, making it easy to see abnormalities that might otherwise be missed.
Dr. Alger is pleased to be one of only 400 dentists in the country who is using this advanced technology. He has found that perioscopy has allowed him to achieve great results on his patients minimizing the need for surgery
How Does Perioscopy Improve Patient Care?
Gum disease causes spaces, or pockets, to form between the gum and the tooth. These pockets develop because of bacteria, which can lead to chronic infection and even tooth loss. Worse still, the bacteria is beyond the reach of a toothbrush.
In most cases, Perioscopy will result in the healing of these deep pockets. With Perioscopy, Dr. Alger or his hygienist can easily see below the gum line to treat this decay. Perioscopy can also uncover fractures or other abnormalities that might be missed by X-Rays.
Furthermore, Perioscopy reduces or eliminates the need for gum surgery, which is one of the major reasons patients consider this procedure a worthwhile investment. Those patients that do require gum surgery, can rest assured that Dr. Alger will treat them with great care and skill. But when gum surgery can be avoided, this is Dr. Alger’s preference. Gum surgery is more invasive, more uncomfortable and typically costs 2-3 times more than Perioscopy.
Results Matter
Perioscopy is a non-surgical procedure for the treatment of gum disease that really works. Dr. Alger has evaluated the results of treatment of patients with moderate to severe gum disease in his practice. In particular, he evaluated the reduction in diseased gum pockets, measuring 5- 10 millimeters, with scaling and root planing verses Perioscopy. 1,500 diseased sites treated with traditional scaling and root planing demonstrated an impressive 69% reduction in the number of 5 millimeter pockets.
In a sample size of 500 sites, patients treated with Perioscopy demonstrated an incredible 89% reduction in the number of residual 5 millimeter pockets! Perioscopy resulted in 3 times less residual diseased pockets after treatment than traditional scaling and root planing. Most of these residual sites were then corrected with a minor surgical procedure. Said another way, patients treated with Perioscopy required 3 times less gum surgery to get healthy.
Am I a Good Candidate for This Treatment?
The leading cause of tooth loss in adults is related to gum disease. Approximately 50% of adults in the U.S. suffer from gum disease. While at first glance, the disease might not seem serious, it is linked to many significant health problems. Fortunately, perioscopy offers a revolutionary treatment for periodontal disease, allowing patients to be treated thoroughly and gently, reducing the need for more costly gum surgery.
This procedure is effective on patients with mild, moderate and advanced gum disease. To find out if you would make a good perioscopy candidate, contact our office at 614.478.7757 to schedule a consultation. We would be more than happy to discuss treatment options for gum disease with you. Remember, Dr. Alger is one of only a few dental providers who offer perioscopy in Ohio. Contact us today!
